Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that the physical papers were discontinued after the Telgi Scam that exposed a large-scale fraud involving counterfeit and reused stamp papers. Later, the Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd was appointed to issue e-stamp papers across the state, but that too had certain disadvantages as photocopiers could duplicate e-stamp certificates.

Karnataka Launches Digital E-Stamp Service For Hassle-Free, 24x7 Document Stamping

Karnataka Introduces Digital e-Stamp System

The Karnataka government has launched a digital e-Stamp system, known as Digital e-Stamp (DeS), aiming to enhance efficiency, transparency, and security in document stamping.

This innovative service, available 24X7, allows citizens to generate digital stamps independently, eliminating the need for intermediaries or agents.

Brief History and Background

Following the Telgi Scam, which exposed large-scale fraud involving counterfeit and reused stamp papers, physical papers were discontinued.

However, the previous e-stamp system had its own set of challenges, including the vulnerability of photocopiers duplicating e-stamp certificates.

Unscrupulous elements exploited these loopholes, purchasing stamp papers for one purpose and using them for another, resulting in loss of revenue for the government.

Need for a Digital Solution: The state was moving towards complete digital registration to eliminate vulnerabilities and ensure a fully digital stamping system.
Legislative Support: The Karnataka STamp (Amendment) Act, 2025, has given legal sanctity to the new digital e-stamping system.
Phased Implementation: The present e-stamp system will be phased out in favor of the new digital system.

Benefits and Features

The new digital e-stamping system offers several advantages, including:

Full Digitalization: All documents and stamp contents are digitalized, preventing misuse and ensuring security.
Fast and Secure Payments: Approved digital payment methods are available 24X7, ensuring fast and secure transactions.
Loss Prevention: If a digital stamp is lost, it can be retrieved from the system, eliminating the need for re-stamping or re-payment.
Real-Time Monitoring: The digital system enables real-time monitoring and faster verification, reducing the risk of evasion or misuse.
Revenue Savings: The government will save crores of rupees previously paid as commission to SHCIL.

Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda emphasized that the digital e-stamping system will prevent evasion of payments, saving huge losses for the government and ensuring transparency in the process.